Flood impact: After brief stability, inflation starts rising again

ISLAMABAD: 

The slowdown in the pace of increase in prices of goods stopped last month as inflation rose 7.7% year-on-year, primarily due to disruption to the food supply chain following heavy rains and floods.

Inflation measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) – which tracks movements in prices of 481 commodities – increased 7.7% in September, according to data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics – the national data collecting agency – on Wednesday.

It was for the first time since April this year that inflation rate was higher than the previous month. In April, the headline inflation was 9.2%, which gradually came down to 7% in August – a trend that has stopped, at least for the time being.

The rise in inflation is in line with the expectations of the Ministry of Finance and State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) as both have already warned of an increase in prices of edible and other commodities in the wake of damage caused by floods to crops planted over 2.4 million acres of land.

According to the Rapid Need Assessment Report, in five districts of Punjab hit the hardest by the floods, people have lost 43% of stored food stock.

Data suggests that the increase in headline inflation was solely the result of higher food prices. On a year-on-year basis, food inflation rose 7.2%, an increase of 1.6% in just one month.

The increase was in both perishable and non-perishable food items. The pace of increase in perishable items was recorded at 16% in September over a year ago while it was only 4.8% in case of non-perishable commodities, according to the PBS.

Potato prices doubled compared to September last year. Moong pulse rates increased about one-fifth while cigarette prices went up 22.6% due to higher taxes from July this year.

Fuel and food-adjusted inflation, known as core inflation, rose 8.1% year-on-year, an increase of 0.2% in a single month.

Anticipating the pressure on inflation due to the floods, the SBP has kept the key discount rate unchanged at 10%. In the past, the central bank used to target core inflation, but now it appears that the central bank has shifted from the core to headline inflation while arriving at a decision on the discount rate, according to independent analysts.

Monetary aggregates suggest that despite the rise in headline inflation, there is still room for the SBP to either keep interest rate unchanged or reduce it in the next policy announcement, they added.

According to the latest SBP data for the period July to September 19, money supply contracted by about 2% or Rs196 billion. The retirement of credit was more than the disbursement by the banking sector.

However, during this period, net government borrowings for budget financing increased by Rs59.4 billion. Gross borrowings remained at Rs76.6 billion.

Average inflation in the first quarter (July-September) of the current fiscal year stood at 7.52% compared to the same period of previous year, according to the PBS. For the current year, the government has set the inflation target at 8%.

Scottish referendum: Scotland votes 'No' to independence

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With the results in from all 32 council areas, the "No" side won with 2,001,926 votes over 1,617,989 for "Yes".

Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond called for unity and urged the unionist parties to deliver on more powers.

Prime Minister David Cameron said he was delighted the UK would remain together and that commitments on extra powers would be honoured "in full".

Mr Cameron said the three main unionist parties at Westminster would now follow through with their pledge of more powers for the Scottish Parliament.

He announced that Lord Smith of Kelvin, who led Glasgow's staging of the Commonwealth Games, would oversee the process to take forward the commitments, with new powers over tax, spending and welfare to be agreed by November, and draft legislation published by January.

Scottish referendum results in detail

The prime minister also acknowledged that the people of England, Wales and Northern Ireland must have a bigger say over their affairs.

And he promised a solution to the West Lothian question - the fact that Scottish MPs can vote on English issues at Westminster, and not the other way round.

In other developments:

• US President Barack Obama welcomed Scots' decision to stay in the UK. "Through debate, discussion, and passionate yet peaceful deliberations, they reminded the world of Scotland's enormous contributions to the UK and the world," he said.
• Police Scotland said Thursday's vote "passed off smoothly" with just six arrests across the country mainly for alleged breaches of the peace and assaults.
• Share prices rose as Scotland voted against independence.
• Polling officials said they were investigating 10 cases of suspected electoral fraud at polling stations in Glasgow.
• Royal Bank of Scotland said it would keep its headquarters in Scotland following the "No" vote.
• Wales's First Minister Carwyn Jones has called for more funding for his country after Scotland voted to stay in the Union.
• Northern Ireland First Minister Peter Robinson said a vote on the future of Northern Ireland's border was not necessary following Scotland's 'No' vote.
• Scotland rejected independence by 55% to 45%. For latest results and full coverage, go to bbc.co.uk/scotland-decides.

The result became a mathematical certainty at 06:08, as the returning officer in Fife announced a comfortable No vote.

Shortly afterwards, Mr Salmond said he accepted the defeat and called for national unity.

He told supporters: "The unionist parties made vows late in the campaign to devolve more powers to Scotland.

"Scotland will expect these to be honoured in rapid course - as a reminder, we have been promised a second reading of a Scotland Bill by March 27 next year.

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Out of media player. Press enter to return or tab to continueThe moment the No side won an unassailable lead over the Yes camp

And the first minister said: "Whatever else we can say about this referendum campaign, we have touched sections of the community who have never before been touched by politics, these sections of the community have touched us and touched the political process."

In a rallying call to his supporters, Mr Salmond urged the Yes voters to reflect on how far they had come."I don't think any of us, whenever we entered politics, would have thought such a thing to be either credible or possible," he said.

He also claimed the campaign had put "a scare and a fear of enormous proportions" at the heart of the Westminster establishment.

"Today of all days as we bring Scotland together, let us not dwell on the distance we have fallen short, let us dwell on the distance we have travelled and have confidence the movement is abroad in Scotland that will take this nation forward," he added.

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Android One Coming to Pakistan by the Year’s End with $100 Smartphones

Google announced its ambitious Android One project to bring the smartphones to the hands of the maximum number of people around the world back in June at I/O 2014. Google’s SVP for Android Sundar Pichai was confident enough to remark that Android’s achievement of gaining a user-base of 1 billion customers has paved the way for next 5 billion in the years to come, and Google has envisioned to get there by offering affordable, entry-level Android smartphones in developing South Asian countries, beginning with India.

Android One was officially kick-started this Monday at an event in India where the founding partners of the program, Micromax, Karbonn, and Spice introduced to the world their $100 offerings: the Canvas A1, Sparkle V, and Dream Uno, respectively. The devices bear close resemblance as they have been developed following Google’s development guidelines, and offer a near-identical spec-sheet that runs like thus:

• 4.5-inch IPS FWVGA display
• 1.3 GHz quad-core MediaTek processor
• 1 GB of RAM
• 4 GB of in-built memory with microSD expansion slot
• 2 MP front, and 5 MP rear-facing camera with LED flash
• 1,700 mAh battery capacity
• Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, GPRS, EDGE and 3G connectivity

Other South Asian countries where the Android One will be expanding by the year’s end, as announced by Google, are Pakistan, Bangladesh, Philippines, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. Although the details are scarce at this point, it has been announced that Google will be expanding with bringing more manufacturing partners into the fold. These partners include Asus, Lenovo, Acer, Alcatel, HTC and Panasonic alongside the chip-maker Qualcomm. This means we’ll soon be seeing a lot more options, not only in the terms of device manufacturers but the internal components such as processors as well.

Which firms will partner with Google to release Android One brand in Pakistan remains to be ascertained yet. Lenovo recently started selling their smartphones officially in Pakistan, hence they are a strong candidate. QMobile is another contender but some might argue its position because of their business strategy and approach to the market (QMobile is not exactly a manufacturer, but only a distributor).

The prospect of releasing a $100 smartphone doesn’t look too far-fetched now that we have seen sub-10,000 offerings from QMobile and Ufone locally. Not only the experience that the devices built in close partnership with Google itself will most likely be superior, at the same time, these devices will introduce a number of new customers to the smartphone category generally and the Android platform specifically. The advantages of this strategy will be two-fold: a whole new crop of customers will reap the benefits of 3G and smart telephony in general, and Google will benefit in the long-run by creating a loyal user-base when they are ready to upgrade to more expensive options.

Dukhtar, Mary Kom emerge as harbingers of change for women

According to Priyanka Chopra, Mary Kom resonates in part because of recent high-profile cases of sexual violence in India. PHOTO: FILE

TORONTO: 

A trio of films stepped beyond song-and-dance to show South Asian women grappling with male-dominated sport, child marriage and sexual desire of people with disability in their premieres at the Toronto International Film Festival. Upcoming Pakistani film Dukhtar and Priyanka Chopra’s Mary Kom are among the films breaking barriers with their women-centric themes.

While the stories tell vastly different tales, all seek to challenge their home audiences and provoke change. First-time feature film director, Afia Nathaniel struggled to find local financing for Dukhtar (Daughter), a film that revolves around a mother (Samiya Mumtaz) and her 10-year-old daughter (Saleha Arif) who flee their home on the eve of the child’s marriage to a tribal leader. Following which, a deadly hunt for them begins.

After years in the funding wilderness, Norway’s Sorfund came on board, helping the film garner additional backers. “Our local film industry is in shambles and financiers want to see masala films with women wearing almost nothing dancing and gyrating on the screen,” said Nathaniel.

Filming in a remote part of the disputed Kashmiri region had to be halted at one point under threat of a fatwa issued by a local religious authority. In Mary Kom, former Miss World Priyanka Chopra plays the real-life title role of a five-time world champion boxer, taking on bullying boys and corrupt officials, while also juggling marriage and motherhood.

Chopra did not use a stunt double for the fight scenes and took on a punishing training regime to give her petite frame an athletic form. She said the film resonates in part because of recent high-profile cases of sexual violence that caught world attention.

“It’s a time where the country is coming together to say ‘We protect our women and we give them rights’ and the women are coming together and saying ‘We’re tough, we’re strong, we’re not going to take this sitting down’,” she said in an interview. The biopic was bankrolled in part by Sanjay Leela Bhansali and has faced criticism in India for overly dramatising the life of a national icon.

For director Shonali Bose, an outburst from her cousin and the death of her teenage son inspired Margarita, With A Straw, a story about a young woman with cerebral palsy who explores her budding sexuality. What Bose expects will shock Indian viewers the film will have a wide domestic release but must first make it past censors.

The character in the film is disabled, which adds another layer to it, said actor Kalki Koechlin. “It’s pushing borders, not just about disability but about the way we think in terms of community and caste in India and how we conveniently place people in different boxes.”

Fashion: You can win them all

KARACHI: 

Bridal couturier Faraz Manan began his career with his mother Memoona Manan 11 years ago. Bridal couture may be where he started from but for the past three years, the designer has been recognised for his lawn collections, which have bagged him a Lux Style Awards (LSA) nomination in the lawn designing category this year.

“It feels great. Although a nomination is good enough for me, I wouldn’t mind winning the award,” Manan tells The Express Tribune. He says that lawn is a special fabric for him. “It’s organic and it comes from our own land. Since I was a kid, I have seen lawn as a symbol of the summer season in Pakistan.”

But despite the fact that lawn has been his claim to fame, he will always be a couturier first. “My couture collection epitomises my signature style, but so does my lawn collection,” asserts Manan. Creating designs for both couture and lawn is no easy feat, but the designer seems to be managing effortlessly. He argues that it is essential to maintain the quality of work and that catering to clients’ needs is of prime importance. “Be it lawn or couture, I ensure that my designs exude elegance. I have learnt never to compromise on that from my mother and siblings.”

Manan’s design aesthetic centralises regality. Having a mainstream Bollywood actor such as Kareena Kapoor as the face of his lawn may be perceived as symbolic of the regal exuberance that is part of his designing mantra. If this is the case, then it may clash with the mass appeal that lawn has in Pakistan. But it can also be argued that Kareena’s universal appeal is a great strategy for Manan to capitalise on.

“My collection is for the masses,” Manan clarifies. “Whether it is India or Pakistan, lawn is certainly a big thing. If an Indian visitor is in town, even if it is in winter, he would be looking out for Pakistani lawn. My couture collection is certainly regal. Lawn continues to be a favourite for both Pakistani and Indian masses.”

The significance of winning awards varies from person to person. For Manan, being presented with an award for his work is important, but getting people’s approval is critical. While for some being handed a trophy may be the be-all and end-all, Manan feels that being appreciated by people has its own charm. He believes that winning awards is encouraging, but it comes with a burden as people begin scrutinising one’s work even more.

“These awards offer recognition for your hard work. They are a pat on the back. But this acknowledgment and business complement each other. There are international actors who have never been awarded but are doing great,” he comments. Manan has his fingers crossed as far as his LSA nomination is concerned and seems positive about winning.

For now, the designer uses Facebook as a platform to communicate with his customers and showcase collections online, but he promises to have an exclusive online presence. With the emergence of e-commerce and growing competition among Pakistani designers, we hope Manan jumps on the e-tail bandwagon soon.

Amnesty urges Pakistan to stop first civilian execution in six years

In late 2008, a civilian execution had taken place. In November 2012, a soldier was executed by military authorities. Further, the report revealed that Behram Khan, a civilian, had been scheduled to be executed on July 30 – but the order was later suspended. DESIGN: MUHAMMAD SUHAIB

Shoaib Sarwar, a death row prisoner convicted on murder charges in 1998, is reportedly set to be hanged in a Rawalpindi jail on 18 September 2014 – a step the Amnesty International has said to ‘immediately scrap’, suggesting the imposition of a moratorium on the use of death penalty as a step towards its abolition instead.

Sarwar’s appeals were rejected in 2003 and 2006 by the Lahore High Court and the Supreme Court against the death penalty, thereby exhausting his appeal process.

“If carried out, it would be the first civilian execution in Pakistan since 2008 and the first execution in the country since 2012,” the Amnesty International report said.

In late 2008, a civilian execution had taken place. In November 2012, a soldier was executed by military authorities. Further, the report revealed that Behram Khan, a civilian, had been scheduled to be executed on July 30 – but the order was later suspended.

“This execution should be halted immediately,” said David Griffiths, Amnesty International’s Deputy Asia-Pacific Director.

“The suspension in executions which we have seen in recent years is one of few human rights areas in which Pakistan can point to a positive record. The country has committed itself to making progress on human rights – as a beneficiary of the EU’s GSP+ preferential trading status, for example – and the resumption of executions would be a seriously regressive step. Instead of moving to resume executions, authorities should formalise a moratorium on the death penalty as a first step towards full abolition,” said Griffiths.

Following Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s return to power in 2013, the incumbent government had “threatened to resume executions”. However, after being pressured by human rights groups, the government backed-down.

Pakistan has one of the highest death row populations with more than 8,000 prisoners on death row. Most of them have exhausted their appeals processes and could possibly face execution.

During trials, defendants lack adequate legal representation. Additionally, some prisoners facing the death sentence were below 18 years when the crimes had been committed. These actions go against the country’s “obligations under international law”.

“As long as the death penalty is in place, the risk of executing innocent people can never be ruled out. The systemic fair trials violations in Pakistan not only exacerbate this risk, but also put Pakistan in breach of its international obligations,” said Griffiths.

“There is no conclusive evidence that the threat of execution acts as a particular deterrent to crime. The death penalty violates the right to life, pure and simple, and has no place in any human rights-respecting society. Pakistan should join the majority of countries in the world and abolish it completely,” he added.

Army chief gave assurances of meeting PTI’s 5 demands: reveals Imran

ISLAMABAD: Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has revealed that army chief General Raheel Sharif had guaranteed the approval of five out of six demands of PTI, adding that he informed the COAS that he did not trust PM Nawaz Sharif.

Speaking to Express News anchor Rana Mubasher, the PTI chairman said that in his meeting with the army chief, he had been assured that five of his six demands will be met. The unmet demand being PM Nawaz’s resignation.

However, Imran maintained that that the army was not behind his campaign.

“We would have left by now if the army was behind us,” Imran said. “It has already been clarified that the military is out of political matters. We won’t leave even if the PM leaves for Hajj.”

Commenting on the rift with Javed Hashmi, Imran said he was disappointed over what he termed false statements by his party president. However, the PTI chief maintained that Hashmi’s loss will not affect his movement.

“Only the ones who’re ideologically committed to the party will stay with us now,” he said.

The PTI chief argued that his mission was to bring Pakistanis together and make them one nation, which was only possible once there was justice.

“If that happens, I won’t regret even if I don’t become the prime minister.”

He said a movement had begun in the country, which had awoken the masses.

“They are demanding their rights. The PIA incident is proof,” he said. “The passengers made it clear that they won’t wait for any VIP. They have started to speak on matters on which they previously remained silent.”

Regarding rigging in elections, Imran said electoral reforms would fail if those involved in poll rigging were not held accountable.

“Corruption in this country never ends because the corrupt are never punished,” he said. “Accountability is must or else rulers will buy off those involved in rigging, again.”

He said his dream of free, fair and transparent elections could not become a reality unless presiding and returning officers on duty during the 2013 general elections were held to account.

The chairman made another revelation regarding an office bearer of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

“An important office bearer of the ECP had a role in rigging of 2013 general elections,” revealed Imran. “He got a BMW and a plot in a housing scheme.”

However, he did not name the official.

In response to a question, Imran said awakening of the masses would be his biggest success, adding that he would never choose to come into power on anyone else’s shoulder.

“I will come [into power] only through power of the masses. Our struggle is against oppressors.”

The PTI chief argued that a day will come when police will not dare to demand bribe, even from a roadside vendor.

“Change has come. Three IGP’s of Islamabad refused to use force against protesters. This is the change,” he said. “This is going to spread the across the country as it is for integrity of the country.”